1. Field of the invention.
The present invention relates to interchangeable character signs and more particularly to sign character supports.
Marque type signs frequently use changeable sign characters manually mounted on a sign face or support for easily altering or completely changing the desired message to observers. One of the problems frequently encountered with such signs is maintaining the individual sign characters, which as a unit imparts the desired message, from being individually separated one from another on the sign or by being blown off the sign.
This invention provides rails or racks for supporting manually changeable individual sign characters in a manner not easily moved relative to or displaced from its position by high winds or other inclement weather.
2. Description of the prior art.
Prior patents for name plates or information signs featuring changeable sign characters generally disclose serrated edges or saw tooth type cooperating edges formed at the top and bottom of vertically disposed letters or characters which cooperate with a serrated or saw tooth type rack or teeth formed as a part of or on the face of a sign. The sign face comprises a vertically disposed panel extending the full vertical extent of the sign characters or at least extending downwardly or upwardly respectively of the top and bottom supports of the sign character. The purpose of the sign face is to prevent movement of the sign character in a direction toward the sign face. These patents usually feature a sign character grip member or strip impinging the respective top or bottom serrated edge portion of the sign character against the sign face.
This invention is distinctive over all prior patents that I am aware of by providing upper and lower horizontally disposed sign character supporting rails or racks in which the racks are formed in corrugated fashion. Teeth formed on respective upper and lower ends of the sign characters are all alternately disposed within the valleys of the corrugated racks with alternate teeth on respective opposite sides of the rack. This feature eliminates the necessity for a sign face or sign character clamping member at either of its top or bottom end portions to maintain the sign characters in the plane of the sign and prevents lateral movement of the sign characters and forward or rearward movement relative to the plane of the sign.